Down the Evvia Channel - Part II

We had an interesting and exciting passage through the drawbridge at Chaldiki, and spent the night at anchor in South Harbour. Its always interesting anchoring in the dark, as you don't really know where you are until the next morning.

Our anchorage in South Harbour

Some yachts that came through the bridge with us

We raised anchor and set off the explore the South Evvia channel. We had a fantastic tailwind, so we sailed off the anchor, and didn't need to run the engine all day. First stop was navigating through the second bridge to Evvia, a tall suspension bridge.

The Evvia suspension bridge

Up close

Sun protection, Greek style

Bridge with davit

 We had a great sail down to Eretria, our first port.

Industrial plants on the side of the channel

The channel expands

Our dock at Eretria

Eretrian sunset

Our dock neighbour, served as a great wind break

Nets on the dock

We spent a day washing clothes and catching up on boat duties, then headed down to a real snugglepot anchorage at Boufalos. This little 'hole in the wall' bay was tucked behind an island, and it didn't open up until we were right on it. There was no wind this day, and the sea just blended into the sky in a surreal way. I hope the photographs capture the strangeness of that scene.

Sea merges into sky

Islands off the Evvia coast

The small island hiding Boufalos 

We snuck around the little island and entered the anchorage of Boufalos.

Another view of the small island

Entrance to Boufalos

Sandspit protecting the harbour

Calm and at anchor

An idyllic protected snugglepot.

Being too lazy to launch the tender, we swam to shore and wandered around the tiny village. The villagers here must eke a small living from the few visiting yachts. There were few other visible means of support. 

Leaving Boufalos

But we had to leave our tranquil anchorage, and head back into the dystopian reality that is Attika. We headed for Lavio, scene of many drama's last year, and docked at the floating jetty just opposite an ancient cast iron jetty, a relic from the French Mining Company, and Lavrio's heyday as a silver mining town.

The floating dock at Lavrio

Urban decay at Lavrio, remnants of its glorious past as a mining town

Port Rafino, north of Lavrio

True to its past record, Lavrio served us up problems, that necessitated an urgent trip to Bulgaria. But thats a tale for our next blog.